Thursday, May 12, 2011

Weekend What's What 5/12-5/14

ON A ROLL

The signs of the summer event season are starting to roll in! Excitement, creativity, and ingenuity all come to a head when Minnesotans truly feel it's safe to come out of hibernation, and this weekend is a grand example. From fantastic fashion shows to resplendent art exhibits to down n' dirty dance parties of the most epic varieties, odds are you'll be swapping your sweaters for a tank tops in no time (even if you need to carry an umbrella with this weekend--just in case!).

xo-l'etoile

THURSDAY MAY 12TH

Platinum Black

@ Rosalux Gallery1224 2nd St NEMinneapolis

6 p.m. / Free

Just in time for Art-A-Whirl, the ever clever Rosalux contingency is putting on a group show, featuring the boldest, shiniest, and otherwise most impressive new work from each of the gallery’s 15 member artists. This includes maximalist Dave Whannel, lauded for his use of surrealism, abstraction, distorted perspective, and collage in his landscapes; emotional narrative painter Toni Gallo; “crypto-zoological” and “crypto-vegetal hybrid beings” creator Amelia Biewald; and John Largaespada, whose digital photography composites often reinterpret classical works of literature, theater, opera, and fine art. Don’t miss this chance to see the entire Rosalux family in one fell swoop. As far as family gatherings go, we’re pretty sure this one won’t leave you running for the door.

Inspired by the Minnesota History Center's newest exhibit Underwear: A Brief History, the annual vintage-inspired fashion event RetroRama is returning to bring another bout of fashion, cocktailing and tuneage. Dig out your best vintage for this Thursday night's runway show (styled by l'etoile's very own Jahna Peloquin!), featuring looks from local designers Christopher Straub, Danielle Everine, Samantha Rei, Heather Luca and Sarah White. On top of the fashions to view, there will be wares for sale from Blacklist Vintage, the Spectacle Shoppe, and Girl Creations, not to mention fresh beats from DJ Jake Rudh and the Southside Aces, drinking games with Ian Rans of Drinking With Ian, crafts, treats, cocktails and a rolicking retro time.

Note: Pre-sale tix are sold out, a limited number will be available at the door, so show up early!

It's that time again! Our LOL/OMG Social Media Meetup is back at the 331 Club for its next installment on Thursday, May 12th, and we've crafted an all-star lineup for the occasion that will blow minds and ear drums: Magic Castles kick things off, followed by Teddy and the Turks, and finally, everyone's favorite rowdy garage rockers, The Goondas, cap off the night with style. Socialize with your Twitter/Facebook/Foursquare/etc friends IRL, drink some cheap dranks, nerd out, shamelessly hit on people, whatever...just be sure to tweet it so we can LOL/OMG about it later! Official hashtag: #LOLOMG

Fuyuko Matsui is a modern-day ghost story narrator. But instead of campfires and heavy smoke, the Japanese artist recounts her historic vs. folklore accounts via canvas and ink. Her grotesquely macabre art revisits the artisanship of the classical Japanese, blending the styles of “nihonga” and “yurei-ga” – the genre of ghost paintings. In her visceral artwork, the neo-nihonag painter resurrects the meticulous technique of Japanese ink paintings and brush methods dating back to the 15th century, incorporating Greek myths and riddled philosophy left up to the viewer to elucidate. Not for the faint of heart, Matsui's paintings are often saturated with images of disembodied flesh, apparitions and supernatural creatures, with a more cathartic than shock-value response. Still, it's probably best to enjoy her work with all the lights on.

How do we properly chronicle the events of American life? Is it through written novellas documented in descriptive, historic detail? Or maybe it lies within the melodramatic scripts of a Bravo show? Or maybe it's something that veers from the typical, only to show up in brushstrokes on a canvas. Far from the pedestrian landscape paintings, the artists in tonight's exhibit – MN-based Laura E. Migliorino and Brooklyn's Matthew Conradt – take on the concept of everyday surroundings and twist them into colorful works dripping with meaning and urging the viewer to look beyond the scenery. Peep the stunning arts of photographer, Migliorino, and large-scale collage + digital print artist, Conradt.

In the simplest of layman’s terms, “Space: Friend or Foe” can be summed up as an evening of “contentious allocutions on the topics of our times.” Which, for you super-simpletons out there means this event is a good ‘ol fashioned word brawl, complete with corny nicknames and a saintly impartial celebrity judge. As you may have guessed, this particular session will revolve around the great mystery that is space. And we mean that quite literally – hey, Paper Moose, are we talking galaxies and planets here, or a mathematical entity, an interval of time, the gap between words, a pause in a musical score, a place to park, or a really bad drug trip? Find out for yourself – and see which friend or foe dominates (Will it be HOT TONY? Kait Lunchables? Alyssa Can Lift You Over Her Head And Throw You?) – Friday at the Paper Moose space in Northeast. You brainiacs, you.

Live it up zombie style at the third annual Night of the Living Prom: Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald this Friday the 13th at the Turf Club. This rock ‘n roll zombie prom features live music from local blues/rock/stomp heroes The 4onthefloor, country flavored pop rockers The Evening Rig, local pop/rock band Cedar Avenue, and self-proclaimed lumberjack popsters Usonia. The Clown Lounge will feature live sets from local indie pop artist The Farewell Circuit, psychedelic indie folk/rockers The Color Pharmacy, as well as Bella Ruse and Silverback Colony lending a Vaudvillian haunted house vibe. To top off the evening, there will be a grand march and the coronation of the Shipwreck King & Queen, a Scurvy Limbo Contest, and a special nook for photographs of you and your hot, shipwrecked date. Ahoy!

There's a reason the dance soiree, Devotio Moderna, was one of the best parties of last summer, and it's not because everything is sexier on a patio – although it is! Devotio moderna – Latin for “modern devotion” – is definitely the chic, vogue version of the “dance party.” Set upon the sleek courtyard of this sophisticated, moonlight-bathed night, the Chambers will provide the posh n' sexy atmosphere – you won't find neon pants here, thank god – while DJs Upgrayde, Ricky Biggs, and Bacheclectic provide the refreshing tuneage (think indie dance mixes with tracks from Le Tigre and Magnetic Fields thrown in). Tonight, snag a drink from one of the four bars featuring specials (including ½ priced beer and rail drinks), get loungey in one of Chambers comfy cabanas and enjoy the hypnotizing flames of the fire pit as you groove to tasty music. Hopelessly devoted to...patio parties!

Bonus: For an extra sleek and sexy weekend, Chambers will be offering a limited amount of rooms available for the ultra discounted priced of $129. Mention the “Devotio Moderna” special!

Nothing says summertime like blaring pop ditties, mouthfuls of gratis Jello shot goodness and Mark Mallman. You know what that means: Sleazy and Eazy is in the air this weekend! Once again the DJ team of Mallman and Jager queen bee Angie Heitz will tickle your ear drums with titillating tastes of tunes from George Michael, Lady Gaga and everything in between. Bonus: the Clubhouse Jager posse will even be passing out free and fruity Jello shots at midnight!

Next weekend's Art-a-Whirl is hot on our heels, and with it comes the annual dilemma: which studios and events to visit and when for maximum efficiency? Which is really just a smarty way of saying we don’t want to miss out on anything, but we’d prefer not to drop dead from exhaustion after day one. Well, we’re going to let you in on a little secret: the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association website is an indispensable hub of information where you’ll find a browsable database of the the organization's hundreds of member artists, galleries, and businesses, as well as a list of special events happening throughout Art-A-Whirl weekend, May 20-22nd. Just be forewarned: both are absolutely gigantic, and each artist/event tends to sound better than the one before...but that’s why we’re giving you an extra week to plan. Use it well, and happy whirling!

In case you didn’t know, the Twin Cities are a hub for totally bad ass female artists. Enter Cult Sisters II, a Cult Status show that brings together 12 creative babes to show their work in a group format. Artists include St. Paul-based photographer Rhea Pappas, whose work focuses on emotion and womanhood within water; Alison Hiltner, who muses on the architecture of life through non-traditional sculptures; screen printer Wendy Petersen (more commonly known as Claire Monet); Cult Status's own Erin Sayer and many more. Reception beats provided by another stellar local gal of the musical sort, DJ Shiek. See you there – and gentlemen, that means you, too.

If you have a soft spot for dancers, sweets and the gays, tonight's soiree is right up your alley. Grab your checkbooks to help support local Moving Arts Ensemble hip hop turned classical dancer, U of M student and emerging artist, Orlando Hunter, as he prepares for a trek to Europe to study GLBT history and activism in Amsterdam and Berlin followed by a summer intensive program at the NYU Tisch School of Dance. Enjoy the dexterous and graceful dance movements of fellow local dancers Elly Hollenhorst, Timothy Herian, Davente Gilreath and Hunter, as well as a gorgeous, gravity-defying aerial performance by Erin Winter Belfry--not to mention delectable desserts compliments Gilbert Tetter. Enjoy the stylish, intimate ambiance of Vision's airy loft space and while you're at it, pat yourself on the back for bolstering the arts!

As the school year comes to a close, the senior fashion students at St. Kate’s are prepping their final projects to hit the “katwalk” in this Saturday's anticipated presentation: A Designer’s Metropolis. The six seniors, including Ayah Ahmed, Jenn Bratvold, Mary Ehlers, Caitlin Gottschalk, Abby Hansen and Hitomi Wong, have taken on a sustainability inspired stance for their fashion lines, which will be hitting the runway, along with an exclusive peek at looks from the junior class as well. On top of the show, there will be an awesome after party to mingle with all the admirers and designers at St. Kate’s hip hangout spot, The Pulse.

For many years, Altered Esthetics Gallery has been a hub for emerging designers--the Northeast community-oriented spot is widely known for its thematic group shows that push boundaries and genres. Tonight the gallery joins forces with next door neighbor, Maude Salon, to continue its ongoing series of solo shows for AE veteran artists. This weekend graphic designer-gone-painter Matthew Fitzke debuts his Andy Warhol-inspired installation of acrylic works on the walls of the hip salon. Follow Fitzke’s story (one we can all relate to) as he artistically traces through both the dark and light sides of falling in love and falling out of it.

Alas, the end of a bizarre, yet star-bright era: local supergroup Strange Lights is riding off into the sunset, so to speak (sniffle). But before drummer Kieran Holcomb moves out of state and Bill Rammer retires his bass, the band will rock our socks off one last time at the 331. Which is fitting, of course, because the only way to mourn the loss of some of Minneapolis’ best drony, acid-fried, psych poppers is in an intimate setting--especially one with some of the cheapest cocktails around. Also playing is Fire in the Northern Furs, another cool local band happy to let us weep on their shoegazy shoulders – or at least remind us that captivating tunage is still alive and well in the city. Not that we had any doubts, but...Oh, never mind. Hopefully you’ll be a lot better at saying goodbye than we are.Click HERE for the 331 site

Photo by Emily Utne

SATURDAY MAY 14TH

Fancy Night Times: Estate and Anthem Heart

@ Red Stag Supper Club

501 1st Ave NE

Minneapolis

10 p.m. / 21+ / Free

Head Stag-ward tonight for a chilled out evening of hip beats and tasty treats. DJ smoothsters Estate and Anthem Heart will be manning the decks as you lounge in the cozy ambiance of the candlelit dining room. Later, after you've got a few adult bevies in ya, let the dance party commence! While you're indulging yourself, you might as well try some of the delightful dishes off the Stag's cheapie late night menu--think $3 fried mashed potato balls. Yes, we said "Fried mashed potato balls."

We’re a month away from Father’s Day, but that’s no excuse not to pay tribute to righteous dadship at this second annual Dad’s Night Out, brought to you by Dads of America. In a dance party even your parents would be proud of (and let’s be real here, they were ripping up bad acrylic shag carpets long before you were conceived), the party-mongers at Club Jäger graciously host a night of dad-worthy beats, featuring DJs Wak Lyf (Dad Lyf!) and Gigamesh (Papamesh!). Don your finest dad sweater, bring on those tube socks with sandals, and get your girl to dig out her favorite acid-washed mom jeans—just leave the kids at home. Playatta (Grandapayatta Dadda!) will be on hand crafting visual magic in the video portal for you and your MILF as you pull shots the way dad used to.

Their digital single, “Who Do You Love” (a cover of the 1964 hit by the Sapphires), dropped last summer, and since then, the l’etoile crew has not been able to stop idling away our work days listening to this beat on repeat. The Swedish trio has since been hard at work cultivating their presence and buzz on the music blogosphere, with a four-track EP called Days Ahead, an EP that's definitely got residence on our summer playlist. If you have not been cued on to the Museum of Bellas Artes yet, please, allow us: synth meets '70s sun-kissed pop meets lo-fi California sun-bleached indie, culminating in delicious, fresh, and utterly irresistible music that you can alternatively dance to or tan to, whichever you prefer.

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